Thermal cut-out for Panasonic upright cleaner

[MM]

I have isolated the cut-out as the cause of the problem why the motor won't run. A continuity check failed.

The cut-out is silver in colour, about 12mm long by about 3 mm diameter. It is mounted axially in a piece of plain wire about 60mm long and the whole caboodle is covered with a piece of heat-resistant plastic. The plain wire, where it emanates from the covering, has a spade connector that plugs directly onto the motor. The cut-out is in the brown (neutral) cable from the 3-pin plug.

The writing on the cut-out reads:

SEFUC SF96?

10A JET 250V 03X5

The question mark above indicates where the digit/letter is illegible.

Does anyone know a web page where I might order such a thing? I have done a few searches already, but there are so many different hits that I can't see the wood for the trees.

Thanks. (I can take a photo of it if that helps.)

MM

[MM]

PS: It looks exactly like the topmost component in this image:

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Probably a thermal fuse, by the description. Maplin actually still stock them.

[NT]

You need to know what temperature it should be. Other details dont matter much.

NT

[Graham.]

Are you absolutly sure about that? ;-)

[Alan]

It's temperature is 99C

or get the equivalent from Maplin (they may have shop close by)

or CPC (a few extra degrees C should matter)

Be aware its a one time fuse that blows when it reaches temperature. ideally they should be crimped or screwed on but if using a soldering iron I've had success using a high power iron and _quickly_ melting the solder. Buy 2 off as they are quite cheap :)

[Alan]

In message , Alan wrote

that should read 'shouldn't'

[MM]

for vacuum cleaner spares! Well, of course, I know such items are used in all manner of electrical equipment, but when one has the vacuum cleaner in bits on the kitchen table, one tends to think "vacuum cleaner spares". And these fuses are SO cheap! I could get one today from the Peterborough store and have my Panasonic finally working again.

NB: Which temperature do you think most approriate, 93, 110 or 128 deg C? I have the writing on the existing fuse, but I can't tell what the temperature is.

Just one more question, I had to cut off the heat-resistant covering in order to extract the duff fuse. What can I use as a replacement? Obviously, insulating tape is no good.

Many thanks.

MM

[MM]

Yes, the blue cable goes straight to the motor (via the switch) and the brown one goes via the thermal fuse.

MM

[MM]

Ah, it's good that you say this, because I was just going to solder the new one in. The fuse *IS* currently crimped on. One end of its wire has the crimped on spade connector to connect to the motor and the other end is embedded in a small plastic tube with the wire from the switch going in and the thermal fuse as well. I have cut open the plastic tube with sidecutters and there's a copper or brass crimp in there to join the two together. The plastic tube acts as an insulator. The tube can probably be "rescued" with my hot glue gun, but I don't know what I could use to crimp the two wires together. Maybe a spare spade connector? The bit where the wire goes in, I mean.

MM

[MM]

I've since checked to see what Maplin have and they do either a 93 degrees C one or a 110 deg C one. Which would you recommend?

(Maplin are considerable cheaper for small quantities and I have a refund voucher!)

MM

[Bob Minchin]

Maplin should also sell heat shrink sleeving of various sizes

The old fuse should have the temperature written on it included as part of the part no.

Bob

[MM]

Isn't there a difference between heat-shrink sleeving and heat-resistant sleeving? The sleeving that was on the fuse was a very loose fit, whereas I believe with heat-shrink, heat is applied to shrink the sleeving on tightly. Now, that's not to say that the heat-shrink kind doesn't also possess heat-resistant properties. Maybe it does. The covering which I snipped away has a woven fabric interior which is probably fibreglass. The fuse may get pretty warm in normal use, i.e. well before it "blows" and that is why the manufacturer used loose-fit heat-resistant sleeving around it. Mind you, Maplin may also sell this type of sleeving and I'm about to look at their web site (barely accessible at 5:55 this morning, probably because of their overnight backups were still running).

MM

[Graham.]

I don't doubt that, but are you absolutely sure about the first statement?

[MM]

Typo. I was tired.

MM

[The Medway Handyman]

Wot he means is that the brown is live, not neutral.

Subtlety is obviously not working here :-)

[MM]

Like I said, typo. My bruv taught me a rhyme years ago: blue=neutral (bloo=noo)

Seems like Graham has a lot of time on his hands!

MM

[Mike Tomlinson]

In article , MM writes

If the motor has overheated, you should find out why, or the thermal fuse will fail again. Most common cause is blocked filters.

[PCPaul]

My dad told me 'you can't be live if you're blue, you can if you're brown', which has always worked for me.

[Steve Firth]

Yes, brown colour of earth must be earth. Green and yellow stripey looks like a dangerous snake that will bite you, must be live.

At least in the rest of Europe they make it easy by making every wire grey so there's nothing to worry about.